[11.02.2012]
THR / Heat Vision sprach mit George Lucas...The Hollywood Reporter: In this 3D conversion of what is Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace, were there any changes made to any characters or the plot, or was it just a conversion?George Lucas: Changes are not unusual - I mean, most movies when they release them they make changes. But somehow, when I make the slightest change, everybody thinks it’s the end of the world. That whole issue between filmmakers and the studios with the studios being able to change things without even letting the director of the movie know ... I’m very much involved in that [so that’s not happening here]. ... My job is to try to make the best possible movie it can be - and the current version is the Blu-ray version. That’s the one that’s been made into 3D. But it’s just a conversion. We haven’t made any changes other than the 3D.THR: People can get fanatical about the movies - how does that make you feel? The puppet vs. CGI Yoda ruckus, and the who-shot-first, Han Solo or Greedo furor come to mind.Lucas: Well, it’s not a religious event. I hate to tell people that. It’s a movie, just a movie. The controversy over who shot first, Greedo or Han Solo, in Episode IV, what I did was try to clean up the confusion, but obviously it upset people because they wanted Solo [who seemed to be the one who shot first in the original] to be a cold-blooded killer, but he actually isn’t. It had been done in all close-ups and it was confusing about who did what to whom. I put a little wider shot in there that made it clear that Greedo is the one who shot first, but everyone wanted to think that Han shot first, because they wanted to think that he actually just gunned him down.
It’s the same thing with Yoda. We tried to do Yoda in CGI in Episode I, but we just couldn’t get it done in time. We couldn’t get the technology to work, so we had to use the puppet, but the puppet really wasn’t as good as the CGI. So when we did the reissue, we had to put the CGI back in, which was what it was meant to be.
If you look at Blade Runner, it’s been cut sixteen ways from Sunday and there are all kinds of different versions of it. Star Wars, there’s basically one version - it just keeps getting improved a little bit as we move forward. ... All art is technology and it improves every year. Whether it’s on the stage or in music or in painting, there are technological answers that happen, and because movies are so technological, the advances become more obvious. [...]

[10.01.2012]
Via CS! kommt der Hinweis auf ein Video-Interview mit dem Produzenten Rick McCallum, der ein paar Sachen über die geplante "Star Wars" Live Action Serie sagte...
The bad news for fans eagerly anticipating the live action "Star Wars" series is that not much has changed since word broke last June that the massive production is currently on hold, awaiting costs to drop to a point that will make the FX-heavy undertaking financially feasible. Producer Rick McCallum is hoping that won't be too far off, however, and today told IGN that the show even has a working title: "Star Wars: Underworld."
"It's underneath what's going on," he reiterated about the series' focus, "It's the criminals and the gangs. The guys who are running Wall Street, basically. The guys who are running the United States."
Even if the series is a few more years away, McCallum says there's no risk in the scripts become dating and that the delay can only make the show stronger.
"They're timeless," he explains. "They take place between Episode III and Episode IV. That 20 year period when Luke is growing up. It's not about Luke, but it's about that period when the Empire is trying to take things [over]." [...]

[26.09.2011]
Bei CS! gibt es eine Pressemeldung von Lucasfilm...
[...] Lucasfilm Ltd. and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment announced today that STAR WARS is the bestselling catalog Blu-ray Disc of all time with worldwide sales totaling one million units, including 515,000 units sold in North America in its first week alone. This represents $84 million in worldwide consumer spend including $38 million in North America - unprecedented for a nine-disc Blu-ray collection at a premium price. [...]

[16.08.2011]
HeyUGuys.co.uk sprach u.a. mit Anthony "C3PO" Daniels über die geplante "Star Wars" TV-Serie, die wohl noch viele Jahre auf sich warten lässt...[...] On the TV series he was unsure it was going to happen anytime soon. “I don’t believe that is going to happen in my lifetime. They looked into it, and I think the parameters – the production cost would be so big and very expensive that I think it’s many years off. Now as technology goes forward, and things become quicker and easier perhaps that’ll help." [...]

[31.03.2011]
CS! meldet...Lucasfilm announced today that Prime Focus will do the 3D conversion of Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace for the film's re-release on February 10, 2012. [...]
Prime Focus was selected by Lucasfilm and Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) following an exhaustive testing process.
Utilizing Prime Focus' proprietary View-D process, the cutting-edge conversion is scheduled to hit 3D theater screens on February 10, 2012. Involving meticulous crafting and attention to detail by Prime Focus' global team of artists, the 3D release promises a wonderfully immersive experience for fans of the original, and a big screen introduction for a whole new generation.
"It was incredibly important to me that we have the technology, the resources and the time to do this right," said Star Wars creator George Lucas. "I'm very happy with the results I've been seeing on Episode I." [...]

[04.03.2011]
CS! meldet...
Lucasfilm and 20th Century Fox announced the release date for Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace in 3D today:
Lucasfilm Ltd. and Twentieth Century Fox announced today that the 3D theatrical launch of Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace now has an official release date - February 10, 2012! Set against the thrilling and exotic backdrop of a "galaxy far, far away," Star Wars is perfectly suited to the immersive 3D theatrical experience, and Episode I delivers some of the Saga’s most stunning and spectacular sequences - from the Naboo invasion to the Tatooine Podraces to the climactic lightsaber battle between Darth Maul and the Jedi. Supervised by Industrial Light & Magic, the meticulous conversion is being done with utmost respect for the source material, and with a keen eye for both technological considerations and artistic intentions. [...]

[21.01.2011]
Bei EW.com gibt es eine "The Clone Wars"-Szene mit Qui-Gon Jinn und der Stimme von Liam Neeson...Liam Neeson is returning to that Galaxy Far, Far Away. EW has learned exclusively that the actor will reprise his Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace role as doomed Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn on Cartoon Network’s Star Wars: The Clone Wars on Jan. 28 and again on Feb. 11. He’ll be voicing Qui-Gon, who appears to Obi-Wan Kenobi in visions, in a three-part arc about his former protégé Anakin Skywalker’s destiny as the Chosen One.
Though The Clone Wars has featured a number of high-profile guest-stars, including Seth Green, George Takei, Michael York, Ron Perlman, Clancy Brown, and director Jon Favreau, Neeson is by far the biggest name yet attached to the series (airing Friday nights at 8:30 pm ET). Considering the backlash against The Phantom Menace, and Neeson’s string of post-Star Wars critical and box-office hits, to voice a character on The Clone Wars might seem to be an unexpected - and even brave - move. But his connection to the saga runs deeper. Neeson tells EW he wanted to return to Star Wars because he felt that "these characters resonate...even after all these years." He adds, "Growing up, my heroes were cowboys; they were strong and mysterious, and it seemed like they always rode off into the sunset. For kids today, Star Wars has that same kind of magic. I really wanted to be a part of that." And he still is. [...]

[07.01.2011]
Via Twitch kommt die offizielle Pressemeldung zur Veröffentlichung der "Star Wars"-Saga auf Blu-ray Disc im September 2011...[...] The most anticipated Blu-ray release ever - the Star Wars Saga - emerges from light speed this September 2011. For the first time, all six of George Lucas' epic films (Episodes I-VI) are united in one complete set. Fans worldwide are able to pre-order now with online retailers.
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment will release Star Wars in three distinct sets to meet the needs of every Star Wars fan:
Star Wars: The Complete Saga on Blu-ray (9-disc Set includes all six films)
Star Wars: Prequel Blu-ray Trilogy (3-disc set includes Episodes I-III)
Star Wars: Original Blu-ray Trilogy (3-disc set includes Episodes IV-VI)
STAR WARS: THE COMPLETE SAGA ON BLU-RAY will feature all six live-action Star Wars feature films utilizing the highest possible picture and audio presentation, along with three additional discs and more than 30 hours of extensive special features including never-before-seen deleted and alternate scenes, an exploration of the exclusive Star Wars archives, and much more.
Star Wars: The Complete Saga on Blu-ray will be available for $139.99 US/$179.99 CAN and the Star Wars: Trilogy Sets for $69.99 US/89.99 CAN. Pricing for each set will vary by international territory. [...]

[25.10.2010]
IESB will aus Insider-Kreisen erfahren haben, dass bei Lucasfilm über eine neue "Star Wars"-Trilogie nachgedacht wird...[...] George Lucas is plotting to create new Star Wars movies at the ultra top-secret Skywalker Ranch.
This is déjà vu of the mid 90's when Uncle George starting tweaking the Holy Trilogy to gear up for the Special Editions. That was his first step in moving forward with the eventual prequel trilogy.
It's happening all over again, Lucasfilm is already hard at work converting the entire Star Wars saga into 3D which will be released starting with Episode I: The Phantom Menace in 2012. The word from our ultra top-secret Lucasfilm insider is that Lucas has gotten the itch and is already looking ahead into launching an entirely new trilogy in that galaxy far, far away.
What do we know? First of all, these new film will have nothing to do with the live action television series currently in development. That show already has over 50 scripts ready to go and plenty of pre-production time and money has been spent on artwork and storyboards. Once that show goes into production, Lucasfilm hopes to be able to produce at least 100 episodes since that is the threshold for syndication in the United States.
IESB has been told fans can expect the new trilogy after the entire saga is released in 3D which is expected to be complete around 2015 or 2016.
Uncle George's modus operandi has not changed, the plan is that he will self finance the new trilogy after he rakes in an expected $500 - $750 million dollars with the re-release of the entire Star Wars Saga in 3D and on Blu-Ray.
The ideal plan, according to our spy at Skywalker Ranch, is to be able to release a new Star Wars film within 24 months after the release of the last re-re-release (is that right?) of Return of the Jedi 3D.
Too early for story details but one thing that our source is certain about, they will not be prequels but instead sequels. It's not for certain if they will be the long awaited Episodes 7, 8 and 9 but could instead be Episodes 10, 11 and 12 or possibly even further out in the Star Wars timeline. And by giving space in the timeline, possibly even as far as 100 years or 1,000 years in the Star Wars universe future, Lucas avoids having to make these stories "fit in" with what the previous stories have told.
According to our sources, the most likely scenario for the films is that they will exist in the same universe but will not have anything to do with the Skywalker Clan. That story has been told, that starship has sailed.
What has caused this sudden change of heart for Uncle George? Well, besides the obvious possible billions that a new Star Wars trilogy will take in, our source tells us that George has gotten motivated with the success the Clone Wars animated series, the video games and also with the success of Avatar. [...]

[29.09.2010]
CS! meldet...Lucasfilm Ltd. announced today that the live-action "Star Wars" saga will be converted to 3D.
"There are few movies that lend themselves more perfectly to 3D; from the Death Star trench run to the Tatooine Podrace, the 'Star Wars Saga' has always delivered an entertainment experience that is completely immersive," said the statement.
Presented by Twentieth Century Fox and Lucasfilm Ltd., the "cutting edge conversion" will be supervised by Industrial Light & Magic.
Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace is expected to be released theatrically in 2012. A release date has not yet been determined.
"Getting good results on a stereo conversion is a matter of taking the time and getting it right," said John Knoll, Visual Effects Supervisor for Industrial Light & Magic. "It takes a critical and artistic eye along with an incredible attention to detail to be successful. It is not something that you can rush if you want to expect good results. For Star Wars we will take our time, applying everything we know both aesthetically and technically to bring audiences a fantastic new Star Wars experience."

[15.08.2010]
Via CS! kommt die offizielle Ankündigung der Blu-ray...Lucasfilm Ltd. and Twentieth Century Fox officially announced today that all six live-action Star Wars films will arrive on the Blu-Ray format in Fall 2011 as a commemorative box set.
The news, part of this week's Celebration V festivities, promises "the highest possible picture and audio presentation, along with extensive special features - including documentaries, vintage behind-the-scenes moments, interviews, retrospectives and never-before-seen footage from the Lucasfilm archives."
"Blu-ray is the absolute best way to experience Star Wars at home - in pristine high definition," said George Lucas of the release, "The films have never looked or sounded better."
At this time it is unclear what versions of each film will appear in the set. Past Star Wars home video releases have focused on the updated special editions, though fan demand led to a later, unrestored release of the original theatrical version on the DVD format.

[19.04.2010]
IGN meldet...[...] It's been widely reported that George Lucas has expressed interest in bringing the Star Wars movies back to theaters with a fresh 3D treatment. Today in the IGN Theater at the C2E2 convention in Chicago, Lucasfilm Director of Fan Relations Steve Sansweet addressed those reports.
He says: "George has publicly expressed an interest in doing Star Wars 3D. Right now there are a number of different technologies, there's some criticism out there about some of the movies that have quickly changed to 3D, so you have to pick the right technology, you have to get it to a cost that makes sense, and you have to have the time of the director and producer -- George -- to actually go in there, because you can't push a button and stuff goes in one end and comes out 3D...
"Saying all that, George remains very interested in doing the Star Wars movies, all six, in 3D, and I hope it will happen someday in the not too distant future." [...]